Weighing apparatus.



Al BRADFORD. WEIGHING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION PILBD 111161.12, 190s.

PATENT AALLEN BRADFORD, OF KENNETT, OALFORNIA.

lilo. 923,240.

{Specifics/tion of Letters Patent.

Patented. Juno it, "i906,

.application led August 12, 1908. Serial lilo. 448,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ALLEN BnAnFRn,.cit1 zen of. the United cStates, ,residing at liennett, in the county oi Shasta and State oi My invention relates to Weighing apparatus and has especial reference to appliances of the type in which hydraulic means are ernw ployed for` transmitting the pressure and operating the indicator.

The paramount objects of the improvements which iorm the subject matter of this application are z-to provide a means for determining weights in which the production of friction will be reduced to a minimum to produce a Weighing machine that will be more convenient when applied to particular purposes than those in ordinary use, and to 'furnish a simple appliance, having comparatively ieW parts, thus boing durable and less likely toget out of order, insuring accuracy, and permitting the apparatus to be manufao tured economically.

Referring more in detail to the results attained by this invention, the mechanism employed toY indicate the Weights is so ar-4 ranged as to be readily observed from the ordinary osition ci the operators eyes, and es a urt er convenience duplicate dials or indicators are employed, thus enabling the readings to be taken with equal facility from v4sectioinil view on the line 5-5 of Fie".

opposite sides of the apparatus. lSince the devices` are mainly intended to` be applied to rveighinc cars, this design Will be particularly useful), as in former arrangements the vveigher *vas obliged to view the index from one side only.

The objects sought are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in' `which the various details are yshown in the following views liigure 1 is e plan view of a car frame, equipped with my improved hydraulic Weighapparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation el the structures shoivnin llig. i `with the addition of tracli Wheelssupporting the trame; 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one the hydraulic tambours Fig. l is a sectional view taken on the line Ll-l ci llig. 3; llig. a

U I is a vertical section through the indicator easin .and contained mechanism; 7 is a top p an vievv of the indicator with. the

- Referring to the details glass ca removed; Fig. 8 is a sectional vier/v on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5, and FL. 9 is an enlareed view ofthe indicating Wheels and spind e.

of the drawing the numeral 10 indicates the frame of a car, supported on track Wheels 1 l. of the frame are located four hydraulic drums or tambours 12 for supporting a suitable frame, not shown in the drawing sincel it does not concern the present improvements. the following manner: A cylindrical base bloclr 13 (Fig. 3) has a rectangular lian e 14, attached to the trame l0 by bolts 15. pon the level top of the block or base 13 is monntd ed a circular late or diaphragm 16. This plate is urnisli 17 concentric With the' plate and snrrounng the central dat portion which is in apposition With the base 13, and through this as s screws 18 furnished Withgaslrets or was ers 19 securing the said plate or diapln-agn` e The latter is mrnished 'rmly to t base. With a central bore 20, having internal threads at its up er and lower ends. into the upper end of t 's bore is screwed ahollovv bolt or nipple 21, passing through the diaphragrn i6, and having a head or flange 2 2,

beneath which is a gasket 23, and into thelower end is inserte a pipe 24,- Which .leads to the indicator, hereinafter described. diaphragm 25, similar to the diaphragm 16, is superposed thereover, the two plates being separated by a marginal ring 26, annular gaskets 27 being interposed between the ring and the plates, and the Whole lirmly bound together by bolts 28 which pass through clamping rings 29, having protective langes 3G, covering the margins oi the diaphragme and annular gaskets 27. To-'the center ci' the upper diaphragm 25 is secured a 'solid cylindrical block 31 the inode of attachment being similar to that employed for connecting the lower dia hragm With the base i3. The bloclr 3l also has a rectangular liange 33, through which pass attaching bolts 33.

At opposite ends rlhe said drums are constructed in ed With'annular corrngations The cavity of each tambouror drum is separately connected by its pipe 24 with. a spring pressure gage tube 341 vSince there are four drums there are necessarily the same number of sage tubes. These are cono ening 41 in an enlargement 42 of the casing above these sheaves are a second series ofy p ate. This enlargement is split horizontally on the line 43 to facilitate assembling, the removable portion or plate 44 beinfT secured to the main casing by bolts 45. The inlets 37 are controlled by a universal stop cock hav.

ing its stem 46 extending entirely through the entire set or batteryy'and provided With a retaining collar 47 and a suitable lever or lcrank 48, for manually o erati-ng the cock.

This cut ofi is closed `vv en the car is in motion to prevent the jolti 1 and sudden shocks from beingl transmitte to the sensitive indicating devices.

To the free or closed ends ol" the gage tubes 34, rooved pulleys or sheaves 49 are hinged at t e points 50, and at a suitable distance pulleys 51 loosely suspended upon a rod 52 sup orted in the 'casing A suitable cord 53 red by passing the end around the smooth portion oi an adjusting bolt 54 between a spring tongue 55 and the casing Where it is then firmly clamped by' turning the said bolt 54.' rl`his cord is then passed aroundthe sheaves 49, and 5l, alternately, in the manner shown in Fig. 5 and after leaving the last pulley or" the series 49 it is carried upward, as indicated at 56, to the upper part of the casing Where it is given a single turn about a grooved Wheel 57 loosely mounted on a shaft 58. It then descends, as indicated at 59, to an idler 60, and again asc/ends to a Windlass or roller 61 mounted on the said shaft 58, about which it is wound a' surrcient number of times to prevent slippingand Weight 61a attached to` the pendent end. The said cord is Wound about the idler 66 suliiciently to bring the ascending portion 62 to a position directly underneath its point of engagement with the said Windlass 6l so as to prevent interference With an intervening indicating Wheel 63, lifted to the grooved Wheel 5?. Upon the Windlass 6l is mounted an indicating Wheel 64, and upon the sha-it 53 upon the other side of the grooved Wheel 57 is another indicatii Wheel 65, similar to the Wheel 64. lt Will e seen that by this arrangement the Wheels 57 and 63 yvill :nove in unison independently of the shait 53, While the similar Wheels 64 and 65 will move With the said shaft and Windlass 6l and, of course, independently of the Wheels'f and Wheels.

63. The upper ends of the casing sides at rightangles to the shaft 58 are rounded, or semi-circular in outline, having a curvature corresponding with that of the wheels and supported thereon is a semi-circular cover 66, consisting of a thin metal plate. This cover is furnished with sight openings 67, 63, arranged in pairs upon opposite sides and corresponding with the diiierent indicating Over the entire top oi' the casing is placed a cap 69 of glass through which the said indicating Wheels may be readily ob served, and owing to the duplication of the said Wheels the readings oi the figures marked thereon may be had from either side alike, a description of the manner of calibrating the indicating devices and their relative movements and values being hereinafter described.

When the universal stop cock 46 is open, the cavities ot' the 'drums or tambours l2 and those of the annular gage tubes 34, communicate through the pipes 24, each drum being thus connected with., its respective tube, and no other, as previously.mentioned. These cavities are completelvilledwith some suitable noncompressible iluid, such out destroying or materially impairing their.

flexibility. Any increase in the pressure brought to bear upon the liquid confined Within a drum will be instantly transmitted to the pressure-gage tube connected therewith, and as the tendency oi such pressure will be to straighten the tube, the l'ree end tnereoi Will be carried upwardly to a certain extent, the amount depending upon the physical and structural relation and adjustment of the parts, and when the pressure is removed the resiliency of the tubes and diaphragms Will restore the parts to their normal positions. This movement ci the tube end is magnilied and transmitted to the in dei; Wheels by means of the compound systemoi' pulleys arranged as previously described. According to the Well known law applicable to the cord and pulley, when the iirst pulley rises, the part a of the cord Will move twice the distance; when the second pulley 49 rises, the part l1 will travel twice that distance Alus the movement of a, and this lavv will hold good through c and d, the latter moving eight times the distance of the ag regate movements of all the pulleys vtionary scale, and l do not Wish therefore, to

10000 lbs. and the face olI index Wheel 63,I which moves with the wheel 57 is divided into l0 equal parts, each indicating 100() lbs. The circumference of' the. windlass 6l has a ratio of l to ll), relative to the Wheel 57, and the attached index wheels arcconvcniently divided into l() equal parts,- cach representing 10() lbs. minor subdivisidns being placed between to indicate l() lbs. or less, as may be desired. The major index Wheel 63 has tvro series ol divisions marked upon its face, the sequence of the figures 70 being relatively reversed, and the `corresponding sight openings are staggered, thus permitting' each series to be read from one side only. The minor index Wheels G4, Go'. each have a single series of divisions 7] marked thereon with the figures relatively reversed in the different Wheels for the same purpose as in the case ot' the major wheel 63.

Upon the metal cover opposite each sight opening for the minor Wheels is placed an index mark 72 to indicate the reading point for that wheel. No such index is required for the major wheel 63 since the corresponding sight openings are of such a length, rel-` ative to the spacing of the wheel, that only one of the figures 70 will be visible at a time. Should the scale get out of balance and require readjusting this can be readily done by loosening the bolt 54 and moving the end of the cord until the O upon each index wheel 64, 65, registers with its index 72, and clamping the end in the new position, a removable plate 73 permitting convenient access to the interior of the casing for this purpose. lfhile the tubes 34 move independently ol each oth er and will have variable movements, especially when the weight of the load is unevenly distributed to the drums 12, will be readily understood that the flexible tackle, comprising the cord and pulleys described, Will act as a compensating device so that the ag` gregate of the pressures upon thc corrugated diaphragms of the drums will be accurately indicated.

l/Vhile l have shown my improved hydraulic system ot' Weighing as applicable to a car, it is evident that it may be used with other appliances, or be installed as astabe limited to the .precise construction disclosed.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, is

l. in a hydraulic weighing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of receptacles, resilient Walls for said receptacles, resilient curved tubes communicating with the cavities of the receptacles, indicatingk mechanism, and means connected with the said tubes for controlling said mechanism.

2. ln a. hydraulic Weighing apparatus, the combination of a plurality of resilient receptacles, resilient curved tubes, pipes connecting each tube with one of said receptacles, indicating mechanism, and means connected with said tubes for controlling the indicating mechanism.

3. ln a hydraulic weighing apparatus, the

Acombination with a supporting frame, of a plurality o'lI receptacles having flexible Walls, resilient curved tubes having one end closed, pipes connectingeach of' said tubes with one ol' said receptacles, and means for indicating the aggregate movements ct' said tubes.

4. ln a hydraulic weighing apparatus, the combination with a suitable support, of' a plurality of closed receptacles, corrugated resilient walls for the receptacles, a plurality ol' curved resilient tubes each fixed at one end and having the free end closed, and means for indicating the aggregate movements of the free ends of said tubes.

5. ln a hydraulic Weighing apparatus, the combination With a suitable support, of a plurality of closed receptacles, said receptacles comprising corrugated elastic diaphragms, spacing rings and means for clamping the diaphragme upon the rings,resilient curved tubes fixed at one end and having their free ends closed, and means for indicating the aggregate movements of the free ends of said tubes.

6.' ln a hydraulic Weighing apparatus, the combination with a suitable support, of a plurality of closed receptacles, having resili ent walls, resilient curved tubes ixed at one end and having their free ends closed, a series of pipes independently connecting each tube with one of said receptacles, a umversal stop cock for the inlets of said tubes, and means for indicating the aggregate movements of the free vends of said tubes, said indicating means arranged to be observed from opposite sides. y

7. In a hydraulic Weighing apparatus the combination With a suitable support, a plurality of closed receptacles, resilient Walls for the receptacles, a plurality of tubes closed at one end and having their opposite ends fixed and pipes connecting each of said tubes vWith one of said receptac es independently 'of the other receptacles and the remaining tubes, of an indicator, and compensating means for transferring the ag regate movements of the free ends ol said tu es to said indicator, said compensating means comprising grooved pulleys pivotally attached to the free ends of the tubes, corresponding fixed ulleys, anda suitable cord engaging said pu leys, one 'end of the cord being attached to a fixed point and the other engaging the indicator mechanism.

8. in a hydraulic Weighing apparatus, the

combination with a frame, supports for the material to be weighed, and counterbalancing means therefonof anindicator comprising e, easing, and three indicating Wheels arln lcestimony whereof l aHiX my signature ranged to be obselved ronnl o pfflsite side of 1 in the presence of two Witnesses.

`theucasing two o sai W ee s avng t er indicating figures relatively reversed in order f ALLEN BRADFORD having a movement relativel)T greater than fVitnessesz g the third Wheel, said third Wheel having two RALPHBROWN,

'series of figures varranged in reverse order. l N. MGDONALD. 

